stories
stories
HomeMoneyLifestyleNewsSportsEntertainmentTravelScienceLocal

Highest-paying jobs in Jacksonville, North Carolina

·Stacker

PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
Add Stacker as Preferred Source

Despite recession fears and falling consumer confidence, the job market in the United States has remained relatively stable in 2025 thus far. According to May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics data, around 177,000 new jobs were added in April, a slight decrease from the 185,000 new jobs added in the month before, but an extension of the country's 52-month streak of job growth. Unemployment rates also held relatively steady between April 2024 and April 2025, coming in at around 4%.

Of course, that doesn't necessarily mean Americans have it easy in the workplace. A December 2024 Payscale report found that nearly half (47%) of business organizations struggle to balance fair pay practices with spend optimization, and 18% plan to reduce pay increases in 2025 as a result.

For context, median weekly earnings across all employees in the U.S. stood at $1,194 in the first quarter of 2025. This represents an increase of 4.8% from a year prior and exceeds the Consumer Price Index's 2.7% increase in the same time period. However, there's one caveat: Earnings go much further in some places than in others.

In fact, the very definition of a "high-paying" job varies by location, as well as other factors such as industry and benefits. Even a six-figure salary may be considered low-income in places with an unusually high cost of living. Meanwhile, technology, finance, and health care jobs lead in terms of salary, but benefits like remote work can make other lower-paying jobs more desirable.

Regardless, anyone seeking a high-paying job should start by looking at the numbers. Stacker used BLS data to find the 50 highest-paying jobs in Jacksonville. Jobs are ranked by their median annual pay as of May 2024, so any jobs without annual compensation figures available were excluded from this analysis.

You may also like: Cities with the most expensive homes in the Jacksonville, North Carolina metro area

#50. Cost estimators

Mongta Studio // Shutterstock

1 / 50

#50. Cost estimators

- Median annual wage: $63,650
- Median hourly wage: $30.60
- Total employment: 60 people (1.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#49. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers

sculpies // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#49. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers

- Median annual wage: $63,660
- Median hourly wage: $30.60
- Total employment: 380 people (7.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#48. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers

4 PM production // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers

- Median annual wage: $64,370
- Median hourly wage: $30.95
- Total employment: 240 people (4.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#47. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators

Avatar_023 // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators

- Median annual wage: $65,920
- Median hourly wage: $31.69
- Total employment: 70 people (1.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#45. Social and community service managers

Dmytro Zinkevych // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. Social and community service managers

- Median annual wage: $67,450
- Median hourly wage: $32.43
- Total employment: 40 people (0.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#44. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

Ground Picture // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

- Median annual wage: $67,460
- Median hourly wage: $32.43
- Total employment: 130 people (2.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#43. Buyers and purchasing agents

GLRL // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. Buyers and purchasing agents

- Median annual wage: $69,550
- Median hourly wage: $33.44
- Total employment: 130 people (2.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#42. Environmental scientists and specialists, including health

Patrizio Martorana // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Environmental scientists and specialists, including health

- Median annual wage: $69,950
- Median hourly wage: $33.63
- Total employment: 50 people (1.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#40. Telecommunications line installers and repairers

Kitawit Jitaton // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#40. Telecommunications line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $70,050
- Median hourly wage: $33.68
- Total employment: 60 people (1.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#39. Human resources specialists

Rido // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Human resources specialists

- Median annual wage: $70,190
- Median hourly wage: $33.75
- Total employment: 260 people (4.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#38. Loan officers

comzeal images // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Loan officers

- Median annual wage: $74,180
- Median hourly wage: $35.66
- Total employment: 60 people (1.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#37. Education administrators, kindergarten through secondary

Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. Education administrators, kindergarten through secondary

- Median annual wage: $75,460
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 130 people (2.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#35. Dental hygienists

Unai Huizi Photography // Shutterstock

16 / 50

#35. Dental hygienists

- Median annual wage: $77,220
- Median hourly wage: $37.13
- Total employment: 150 people (2.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#34. Civil engineers

wutzkohphoto // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#34. Civil engineers

- Median annual wage: $77,670
- Median hourly wage: $37.34
- Total employment: 120 people (2.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#33. Registered nurses

Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#33. Registered nurses

- Median annual wage: $77,860
- Median hourly wage: $37.43
- Total employment: 890 people (16.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#32. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

19 / 50

#32. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $78,350
- Median hourly wage: $37.67
- Total employment: 40 people (0.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#30. Sales managers

dokurose // Shutterstock

21 / 50

#30. Sales managers

- Median annual wage: $82,640
- Median hourly wage: $39.73
- Total employment: 110 people (2.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#29. Project management specialists

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

22 / 50

#29. Project management specialists

- Median annual wage: $83,310
- Median hourly wage: $40.05
- Total employment: 210 people (4.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#28. General and operations managers

fizkes // Shutterstock

23 / 50

#28. General and operations managers

- Median annual wage: $84,160
- Median hourly wage: $40.46
- Total employment: 660 people (12.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#27. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

goodluz // Shutterstock

24 / 50

#27. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $84,640
- Median hourly wage: $40.69
- Total employment: 40 people (0.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#24. Management analysts (tie)

fizkes // Shutterstock

26 / 50

#24. Management analysts (tie)

- Median annual wage: $89,460
- Median hourly wage: $43.01
- Total employment: 190 people (3.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#24. Occupational health and safety specialists (tie)

Aleksandar Karanov // Shutterstock

27 / 50

#24. Occupational health and safety specialists (tie)

- Median annual wage: $89,460
- Median hourly wage: $43.01
- Total employment: 70 people (1.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#23. Physical therapists

Aykut Erdogdu // Shutterstock

28 / 50

#23. Physical therapists

- Median annual wage: $89,640
- Median hourly wage: $43.10
- Total employment: 70 people (1.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#22. Logisticians

Pakorn Khantiyaporn // Shutterstock

29 / 50

#22. Logisticians

- Median annual wage: $89,860
- Median hourly wage: $43.20
- Total employment: 90 people (1.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#20. Facilities managers

Quality Stock Arts // Shutterstock

31 / 50

#20. Facilities managers

- Median annual wage: $90,410
- Median hourly wage: $43.47
- Total employment: 40 people (0.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#19. Detectives and criminal investigators

Prath // Shutterstock

32 / 50

#19. Detectives and criminal investigators

- Median annual wage: $90,690
- Median hourly wage: $43.60
- Total employment: 120 people (2.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#18. Network and computer systems administrators

Arjuna Kodisinghe // Shutterstock

33 / 50

#18. Network and computer systems administrators

- Median annual wage: $91,010
- Median hourly wage: $43.76
- Total employment: 110 people (2.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#17. Lawyers

Nicola Forenza // Shutterstock

34 / 50

#17. Lawyers

- Median annual wage: $93,240
- Median hourly wage: $44.83
- Total employment: 150 people (2.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#15. Construction managers

Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock

36 / 50

#15. Construction managers

- Median annual wage: $97,930
- Median hourly wage: $47.08
- Total employment: 220 people (4.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#14. Medical and health services managers

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

37 / 50

#14. Medical and health services managers

- Median annual wage: $101,440
- Median hourly wage: $48.77
- Total employment: 200 people (3.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#13. Managers, all other

SpeedKingz // Shutterstock

38 / 50

#13. Managers, all other

- Median annual wage: $103,400
- Median hourly wage: $49.71
- Total employment: 120 people (2.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#12. Computer systems analysts

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

39 / 50

#12. Computer systems analysts

- Median annual wage: $104,150
- Median hourly wage: $50.07
- Total employment: 90 people (1.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#10. Engineers, all other

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

41 / 50

#10. Engineers, all other

- Median annual wage: $113,030
- Median hourly wage: $54.34
- Total employment: 50 people (0.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#9. Financial managers

Kanghophoto // Shutterstock

42 / 50

#9. Financial managers

- Median annual wage: $117,340
- Median hourly wage: $56.41
- Total employment: 100 people (1.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#8. Nurse practitioners

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

43 / 50

#8. Nurse practitioners

- Median annual wage: $117,580
- Median hourly wage: $56.53
- Total employment: 70 people (1.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#7. Veterinarians

Zivica Kerkez // Shutterstock

44 / 50

#7. Veterinarians

- Median annual wage: $123,590
- Median hourly wage: $59.42
- Total employment: 30 people (0.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#5. Physician assistants

Stokkete // Shutterstock

46 / 50

#5. Physician assistants

- Median annual wage: $127,440
- Median hourly wage: $61.27
- Total employment: 100 people (1.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#4. Pharmacists

Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#4. Pharmacists

- Median annual wage: $130,840
- Median hourly wage: $62.90
- Total employment: 90 people (1.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#3. Architectural and engineering managers

BOY ANTHONY // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#3. Architectural and engineering managers

- Median annual wage: $157,410
- Median hourly wage: $75.68
- Total employment: 30 people (0.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#2. Dentists, general

Prostock-studio // Shutterstock

49 / 50

#2. Dentists, general

- Median annual wage: $165,890
- Median hourly wage: $79.76
- Total employment: 70 people (1.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#1. Physicians, all other

wutzkohphoto // Shutterstock

50 / 50

#1. Physicians, all other

- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 80 people (1.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Cu Fleshman, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 364 metros.

You may also like: Highest-paying jobs in Jacksonville, North Carolina that require a graduate degree

Trending stories